This invention relates to a method of providing communication between a plurality of individual users and the internet which method includes providing a plurality of stand alone terminals at separate locations, at least some of the locations being accessible to the public.
The internet is becoming more important each day with the number of users increasing dramatically.
Many more sophisticated persons have appreciated the importance of this development and have therefore themselves acquired the knowledge and techniques for connection to the internet. However many less sophisticated persons as yet remain unconvinced and are unwilling to invest the time and money involved in obtaining the knowledge and hardware necessary for connection.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved technique for allowing individual users to access the internet by providing a series of stand alone terminals at a plurality of separate locations, at least some of which are accessible to the public.
Terminals are presently available which allow some access to computer networks particularly for purposes of allowing the public to access manufacturer generated documents for obtaining information on and allowing purchase of products. These terminals allow access to the network without monetary charge and are based upon income generated by the advertising costs to the manufacturer. However these terminals do not allow general access to the internet since access is limited to those manufacturers who are willing to pay for the advertising time.
It is also known to provide vending of software in which a computer terminal is provided in a housing accessible to the public and includes a credit card reader for accessing funds from the user together with a memory drive for receiving a memory element (particularly a floppy disk) on which a purchased program can be written for the user.
However at the present time there is no terminal available which will allow public access to a secure terminal while allowing the user from the public to enter payment and to access the internet for a payment received from the user.